“By the time I arrived in Bali the exodus had already begun.” From the first line of Sadanand Dhume’s My Friend The Fanatic, you’re convinced you’re in the hands of an exceptional journalist. As Dhume explores contemporary Indonesia, starting with the Bali bombings and continuing with an analysis of hardline Islam, it delivers on its promise to take the reader into the heart of a close, but little-understood, neighbour to India. This is fine travel journalism, and Dhume’s journey is peppered with insights and good humour.